Famous for your Father
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: Albus is finally at Hogwarts, but he's finding things more difficult than he imagined, including the fact that everyone thought him to be a mini-Harry Potter. Who better to help than Harry himself? /for the Writing Script Boot Camp/
1. Harry to Albus 1

**A/N:** Written for the Writing Scripts Boot Camp, for prompt#047: jester.

And apparently James' age isn't revealed, so he'll be 13 and a third year for this.

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**Famous for your Father  
Letter 1 – Harry to Albus 1**

Dear Al,

Hey son. How's everything going? We promised we'd write to you ever day, didn't we? Unless you decide it's too embarrassing like your brother did…but he likes a good joke, your brother. Must have inherited it from your grandfather (my father) or else your Uncles Fred and George. But under no circumstances listen to his instructions on how to get to the dungeons for Potions, because you'll be half an hour late. Granted whoever you've got this year for Potions (seeing as Professor Slughorn retired last year) probably isn't as strict as Professor Snape or Headmistress McGonagall, but it's better to be on the safe side. Ask your Head of House or a Prefect; some of the second years like pulling pranks on the new students as well, but they're not as bad as they come across in the first few days.

Your Uncle Ron put up some gallons for getting into Gryffindor, so your mother has kindly asked me to tell you that if she loses the bet, you will be paying for it out of your allowance (though I'm sure she's joking). You know how those two are, especially since your Aunt Hermione's left for Bulgaria almost as soon as we dropped you lot off at the station. Which means Hugo is staying with us for about a week, and he insists of writing to you as well. I've enclosed his letter. I'm sure Lily and your mother would as well, but your sister was a little…inconsolable after not being able to go to Hogwarts, so they're out at the moment for some mother-son bonding time. No doubt they'll be writing tomorrow – if we can stop Lily from starting as soon as she walks through the door.

And your Uncle Ron is staying for dinner too. He never did learn to cook, unlike your mother and myself…and Aunt Hermione. I never told you that story did I?

…maybe I shouldn't tell you just yet. If she ever caught wind of it… She was mad enough when she found out about…err, never mind. Shouldn't be telling you that one right now either. Suffice to say that Ron's hopeless without Hermione around.

Anyway, how did you find Hogwarts? The train ride treat you okay? I'm sure you and Rose were stuck to each other for the train ride, but tell me you made at least one other friend. And tell me that young Scorpius Malfoy is nothing like the git his father was at that age (I'm sure I or Uncle Ron've told you guys those stories). And don't tell your mother I said that either. I would rather not be sleeping on the couch.

Tell me you tasted at least one of everything they had on the snack trolley. Unless the prices went up since James started, there should have been enough in your coat pocket. Funny how they hadn't changed from when I first started, though in your case you've tasted most of them before. And those Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans? If James scared you off them, kindly give him the following message from Uncle Ron: 'I'm sending him all the bogey flavoured ones I get for Christmas'.

He's probably serious too, considering the amount of boxes he gets.

And how was your first view of Hogwarts? Please oh Merlin please tell me the giant squid didn't dunk you in the water at the absolute wrong moment (actually, I think I would prefer it if he didn't dunk you at all; it might have been funny for Dennis but as a parent it's a nerve-wracking thought). It's something you absolutely cannot miss, and even your elder brother hasn't managed to find a way around that fact yet. I doubt he ever will; Hogwarts is just that sort of place, especially when you first see it.

And do they still serve treacle tart for dessert? Though I wonder if you had any space left for it. I know I always used to struggle, but that's one thing you don't seem to have inherited from me. I think your mother's secretly thrilled about that, since you didn't manage to get her hair, eyes or facial features. Or her eyesight for that matter. Have you been practising Reparo? A very important one to know. And if you decide to go onto the Quidditch Team next year, we've got a few more spells for you. Well, your mother mostly since she's more in the thick of things nowadays than I am. That's a long way away, but you'll have your first flying lesson next week on the school brooms (which are nothing like your mother's old brooms), and you might wind up with a different definition of flying. And don't let anyone tell you that the son of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley has to be an ace flyer. That's a load of…err, Hagrid's favourite term there was Hogswash. And remember he invited you and your brother and cousin for tea on Friday. Be sure to say hi to Fang's litter while you're there. I'm afraid I've forgotten their names again.

And don't do anything Neville tells you not to do; he was the best at Herbology in our year and it's probably just your brother trying to pull pranks on you. It's not that the plants in Greenhouse 1 are dangerous, but you don't want to miss some other exciting class because you were asleep after hearing the Mandrake's cry.

And please _please_ tell me you didn't inherit my "talent" for Potions. Me passing my OWLS was mostly your Aunt Hermione and luck…though I thought elsewise for quite a while. When you almost flunk your Auror Potions exam after studying for three months, things start to get into a bit of a better perspective.

...Ron's just arrived, and he's telling me I sound like a worried parent. Well, I'm telling him: 'excuse me if it's the first time in thirteen years I've arrived home and my kids aren't around to hug me.' But I'm not particularly worried; James has his heart in the right place and he'll look out for you, and so will Teddy and Rose (and you look out for her too, and if she starts sprouting stuff about cooties – though I seriously doubt she will – just remind her that her parents and yours used to toss the lot of you into the same gigantic wash tub when you were babies).

Try to stay out of trouble and enjoy Hogwarts. It really is a great place, even though it has a tendency to get its students into scrapes at times. Beware of the changing staircases and some of the portraits along the route to the Divination classroom and the Astronomy Towers. They like getting students lost. Though it's not the end of the world if you do get lost. Headmistress McGonagall will probably tell you that she'll transfigure any friend of yours into a map for you…or your old Dad, considering Ron and I were late for our first Transfiguration class.

Let us know how your first night at Hogwarts turned out, and I hope that you're settling nicely into whatever House you got sorted into. Remember that the qualities of that house aren't the be all and end all; the Hat just sorts you in the place it thinks you'll do the best in, and it's a good listener if you have a 'bee in your bonnet', as it told me once. Just drop by the Headmistress' office if you think you'd like to chat with it…and say hi to your namesakes while you're there too. And for Merlin's sake don't forget to add the 'Professor' to Snape's name, for all the times your Dad didn't.

All the best, and Ron's sending his love (not in those words naturally) as well.

Love,

Your Dad.


	2. Albus to Harry 1

**A/N:** Written for the Writing Scripts Boot Camp, for prompt#009: Sorting Hat

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**Famous for your Father  
Letter 2 – Albus to Harry 1**

Hey Dad,

It's good to hear from you. I remembered what you said at the train station, so when the Hat tried to put me into Slytherin, I asked it – begged it really – not to, so it put me into Ravenclaw instead. To be honest, I didn't expect that. Rosie's way smarter than me, and she's in Gryffindor. Honestly, I even expected the Sorting Hat to ignore me completely and shove me into Slytherin anyway. So now I'm an Eagle.

I'm going to be such a disappointment to my house. Ravenclaw's all about wits and smarts and stuff. I don't know what the Hat was thinking, putting me in here! Do you think Hats get old and senile? Magical Hats at least? Someone in my house said the Sorting Hat's been Sorting since the time of the founders, and has a bit of all of them in there. Were they really powerful, or really hard-working I wonder? To have mysteries still at Hogwarts means we've lost quite a bit.

That's actually kind of depressing. But yeah, I'm an Eagle now. I guess I better learn the layout of the library then, since that's where most of my dormmates will be once school officially starts.

Victorie kidnapped James for the ride. I think she might have spotted him peeking at her and Teddy. I don't know whether he saw as well or not, but to be honest I was kind of relieved. Rosie and I were nervous enough without him telling us we have to fight trolls for our Sorting (though I'm glad you and Mum set us straight on that one two years ago). Though he did remind us as he went over to the carriages. And I know I've grown up with magic, but it does look creepy seeing them pulled along by invisible creatures. Though I don't think I want to see them. No matter how gentle-looking you and Mrs Scamander say they are. That would mean seeing someone die, and I don't think I –

I guess I know what my Boggart is. Do we deal with those in first year? James said yes, but it's hard to tell when he's being serious or not. It's in our DADA textbook anyway. When did you learn to fight Boggarts? And…would it be too nosy for me to ask what yours is?

And you know how everyone was staring at the train station? They're staring at me here too. More so than James or Rosie. Professor Abbott said I look almost exactly like you did in first year, and a lot of students (most of them from my House) have been asking about the War of Hogwarts. You and Mum didn't really tell us much about it, and I didn't want to say Uncle Fred died then, and Teddy's parents and some of your and Mum's friends. I don't think that's what they wanted to hear anyway.

Why couldn't everyone ask James when he started? What could I possibly tell them that's new? And all that took up most of dinner time – I did try the treacle tart by the way Dad, though it was very sweet – so I didn't get to learn much about my new housemates. I didn't even get some of their names. But how will I ever get to know people if all they want to know about is you? I didn't have a single decent conversation with anyone…except for Rosie, but she's my cousin and she doesn't count. I'm really sorry Dad, but my friends count is zero right now.

And getting into the Common Room is hard too. It took me three tries to get the answer right last night, and that was apparently an easy question for us first years. It's going to be worse when I'm returning from the Owlery. After getting down the Ravenclaw Tower of course. It's a mini-maze; was the one to get to Gryffindor like that too? And to think anyone from the other Houses can get in if they get the answer right! Where's the security in that? Rosie'll be here every other day!

The portraits on the Ravenclaw stairwell are pretty quiet, but I haven't seen the rest of the castle yet. I was going to go with Rosie, but she was talking to a few other girls in her dorm so I let her be. My dormmates don't seem to be in the mood for exploring, and to be honest I don't think I am either. I just don't want to be lost tomorrow, but Prefect Davies said he'd show us where our classes are after timetables come out tomorrow.

There are a lot of books here, and not all of them about the subjects they teach here. There's stuff about jewellery and sword crafting, some magical sports that have long since gone out of fashion because of Quidditch, house-hold spells like the ones Mum and Aunt Hermione and Grandma are so good at, and lots of other stuff I haven't really looked into yet. There were wizard cartoons too, though James already has them all. And the couches are comfortable. There's also a lot of stuff on the materials we use in potions, so maybe that will help. The Charms stuff is really fascinating though, but most of it is over my head. The boy who bunks beside me's reading a copy of the same book though and he's flying through it.

Dad, I'm scared I'm not going to fit in here. The Sorting Hat made a mistake putting me into Ravenclaw; I should have just let it put me into Slytherin.

Sorry it's so short; my mind keeps on wondering off.

Your son,

Albus


	3. Harry to Albus 2

**A/N:** Written for the Writing Scripts Boot Camp, for prompt#031: question.

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**Famous for your Father  
Letter 3 – Harry to Albus 2**

Dear Al,

So, you're a Ravenclaw huh. I can see how that would be a surprise to you, but you've got seven years to work out what the Hat saw in you to place you in that House. You could try talking to Neville – though he's Professor Longbottom to you know I suppose. I'll never get used to that one, considering I shared a dorm room with him for seven years. He's told you a little already though, hasn't he. How for the longest time he couldn't work out why he had been placed in Gryffindor when he was anything but brave. Though this is what your father thinks: you're smart boy Al, and you've got a sharp mind behind your eyes. Maybe you don't read textbooks and memorise them in one go like your Cousin Rosie or your Aunt Hermione, but you're smart in other ways. You work hard, and you won't give up on something just because it doesn't make sense to you. And considering you manage to outsmart James in most of the prank wars you two get involved in, I'd say your wits are razor sharp as well. And in the end, all the houses are the same. We've had traitors to the dark side in Gryffindor, heroic sacrifices in Slytherin, witty Hufflepuffs and reckless Ravenclaws…and more combinations I can't quite come up with off the top of my head. We've told you stories of the first two, but I'll say this about Hufflepuff. Don't underestimate their loyalty to the people they love. They can be quite nasty in their retaliation. As for Ravenclaw House, they're not all booksmart. Maybe you should talk a little more with your roommates about their hobbies. Maybe once you've all settled down; it's also sometimes the insecurity about being in a new place for the first time.

Now you see why I didn't want the two of you sharing a room? Though goodness knows why you'd need to, considering we could just add another room in. We blasted off an entire wing after all during the renovations. I'm sure your mother showed you those pictures; she keeps all the ones I do something remotely embarrassing in. She says it's to keep me from shrivelling up in seriousness, and as long as they don't get to Witches Weekly, I don't mind. Thank goodness the Daily Prophet's had a rehaul since the old days, though if you bump into a Rita Skeeter make sure you say and do nothing. And I mean nothing. She's still a bit of a wild card, and she runs the Hog's Head now (though you won't be going there until third year at the very least). Though if you do go, make sure to have Rosie with you. She looks enough like Hermione to give that woman a bit of a fright. I'm more concerned about her bumping into you at Hagrid's to be honest.

And to answer your question about the Sorting Hat…no, I don't think so. It's been around since the Founders after all.

The whole of Hogwarts will be a labyrinth for a few weeks, what with the staircases changing and all. I'd recommend asking your Prefect for help on that aspect; they've been around after all and they're the least likely to give you wrong directions. They'd risk losing their badges if they did after all, and Professor McGonagall's usually a good judge of character. And she's quite good at smelling rats. She's gotten too old to be transforming at the Welcome Feast, but I'll tell you it was quite a sight when we went back to open up the rebuilt school and stayed for dinner that night.

You know, Kreacher's missing you terribly. I haven't seem him cry this much since the first time Ginny went into labour. I must say, explaining to a House Elf the process of giving birth was one thing I never imagined doing. He is rather fond of you. I suppose James winds up creating more mess because of his fondness for pranks, though I do wonder how he'll react once Lily goes to Hogwarts as well.

Trust me when I say you'll never learn the layout of the library. Hermione didn't, and she spent more time in there than anyone. James said they upped the catalogue though, so it makes things far easier to search for. And James wouldn't lie about that; he hates researching for homework assignments after all. Explore it at your leisure. There's something for everyone there. Though with the material in your dormitory, I have to wonder what you'd actually need the library for.

As for everyone asking you about me, I'm afraid I can't say much about that. It's one of the disadvantages of being related to me – though in your case you look like I did when I was your age as well (although a little more filled out). Though maybe it has more to do with the novelty than anything else; people did ask James when he started you know. Just brush them off or answer what you know, and they'll get tired eventually and you'll be able to find people who genuinely want to be your friends. Try not to worry about everyone else; the world's just too big for all that.

And I'm sensing some curiosity in there as well. Very Slytherin of you, Al. We, your mother and I that is, don't want to hide things from you, but there are things you'd be able to handle better once you're older. Hogwarts is a good place to grow into your heritage, but you'll be challenged about things you don't know or understand and you'll hear things which aren't necessarily true. Some parts of the war we can share now, but there are other aspects where we wish to wait until we're sure you'll fully understand. It doesn't always work – Merlin I should know – but wars are very dark things, Al. You already know more than James or Lily, and more than what your Aunt and Uncle have told your cousins too. One day you will know the entire story, but until then be patient.

I have to say I never paid attention to the portraits on the Ravenclaw stairwell. Too occupied with…other stuff I guess. Your mother might have; she was dating Michael Corner for awhile at Hogwarts. Though she might not have either, since I was dating Cho and never went up there.

Don't change yourself to fit in. There are people out there who will love you for you (apart from your family of course), and those people are far more precious. In any case, get used to the environment first; Hogwarts is very different to home after all, and you never really played with anyone other than family. It will take some time son; don't write yourself off so early. Think about what you like so far, and what you want to know more about. And don't tell me you can't think of anything you're curious about; you were born curious. Pulling at my glasses from the moment you could grab something.

I would imagine so. Hogwarts is a lot to take in in just one day. I look forward to hearing more from you soon, Al.

Love,  
Your Dad.


End file.
